Moushumi Das Gupta, Hindustan Times, New Delhi|
Updated: Jun 22, 2015 10:57 IST
The Narendra Modi government’s Yoga Day event in Delhi broke two world records on Sunday but it will have to wait for more than a year before officially gaining an entry into the Guinness book.
Officials said the showcase yoga programme at Rajpath saw the largest number of participants at 35,985 people and the most number of participating nationalities (84).
“The deadline for this year’s book has passed so the record won’t appear on the book until September 2016 at the earliest. We receive 40,000 record applications per year and our editorial team decides which 3,800 records appear in the book based on a number of factors,” Doug Male, the Guinness World Records public relations manager told HT in an email late in the evening, in response to a questionnaire.
The ministry of ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy (AYUSH), which was in-charge of Modi’s pet project, had already set its sights on breaking the previous world record that was set in 2005, when 29,973 students from 362 schools performed yoga at a Gwalior university.
“It is a matter of pride for India that we have broken two records on one day,” minister of AYUSH, Shripad Naik, told reporters, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all for the successful record event.
Modi, an avid yoga practitioner for many years, led the event at Delhi's Rajpath early in the morning by joining the huge gathering in performing asanas.
The entire 2-km stretch from Rafi Marg crossing near Vijay Chowk to India Gate was lined with blue and red mats over green carpets with people of all ages performing various yoga exercises.
The event broke the earlier record set on November 19, 2005, when 29,973 students from 362 schools had performed a sequence of 'yogic kriyas' for surya namaskar simultaneously for 18 minutes led by Vivekananda Kendra at Jiwaji University Gwalior.
The awards were received by Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik from representatives of Guinness World Records -- Victoria from Britain and Marco Frigatti from Italy.
Yoga events were held across all states in India and most major cities across the world -- from New York to London and Tokyo and Sydney.
Dubai man's attempt
In Dubai, a 40-year-old man of Indian origin stood on his head for 61 minutes in an attempt to set a new Guinness World Record.
Ivan Stanley, a Dubai-based advertising professional, broke his own previous record of 34 minutes of Shirsasana. "It feels nice but a little disorienting. Those last five minutes were impossible, perhaps the longest of my life," Stanley was quoted as saying by the Emirates 247 News.
According to the Guinness World Records, a headstand attempt has not been registered as a challenge so far.
"When I contacted the Guinness World Records international office and the Dubai one, there was no such challenge registered with the organisation. We have registered the attempt and will send the video to them. Hopefully, we should know soon enough," Stanley said.
Ansari row escalates, govt apologises for Ram Madhav's criticism
NEW DELHI, June 22 (Agencies): The government today apologised for BJP leader Ram Madhav's criticism of Vice President Hamid Ansari's absence at the Yoga Day celebrations here over which the Congress accused it of playing "divisive" politics.
Union Minister Shripad Naik cited protocol to say that the Vice President can't be invited to an event where the Prime Minister is chief guest amid reports that the government is upset with the needless controversy triggered by Madhav's tweets.
"Unknowingly something happens, we apologise for that. It should have been avoided. It's a mistake, he(Madhav) agrees, he apologised. He withdrew his statement," Naik said when asked to comment on Madhav's controversial tweets yesterday.
About the warrant of precedence, Naik said, "When the Prime Minister is chief guest, then inviting the Vice President is not proper. That is protocol. That's why we did not send the invite to him. President and Vice President are above the Prime Minister as per order of precedence and we cannot invite them accordingly."
Naik is the Minister of State for AYUSH--the Ministry that organised the International Day of Yoga event at Rajpath.
Asked about the controversy and the accusation he was "targeting" the Vice President, Madhav said, "As far as the tweet is concerned, it was withdrawn and the matter is closed there and ends there."
Madhav, who was deputed by the RSS last July to work with the BJP, said there is no further discussion on the issue from his side.
"I want the Yoga event to be remembered for millions and millions of people who have participated in it. I do not want any further controversy over it or any issue," he told reporters in Jammu.
The Vice President's Office said the matter is closed for them as Naik's statement "seems logical".
"For us that's the end of the matter," it said
Congress accused BJP of playing "divisive politics" on the International Day of Yoga by targeting Ansari and demanded that Madhav tender an apology.
"The Vice President has been targeted on International Yoga Day. While yoga is all inclusive, BJP has showed its divisive politics by such an action. Ram Madhav should apologise," party spokesperson R P N Singh told reporters.
To make up for Ram Madhav tweet, Govt apologises to Hamid Ansari -
AYUSH Minister says PM was chief guest so as per protocol Ansari cannot be invited since he is senior. -
A day after BJP general secretary Ram Madhav set off a row over what he called the “absence” of Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari from the International Yoga Day celebrations, a senior member of the Government is said to have communicated a message of regret to Ansari. Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik — the Yoga Day events in Delhi were held under the aegis of his Ministry — also apologised for the tweet and said that the Vice President had not been invited to the Rajpath event because it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was the chief guest. Citing protocol, he told The Indian Express that the Prime Minister could not be the chief guest at a function attended by the Vice-President. “He is ranked above the prime minister in the order of precedence,” he said, adding that “Ram Madhavji may not have been aware of all this when he tweeted.” Nayak said: “We apologise for that, it was inadvertent. In any case, he has deleted the tweet now. So the matter is over.” RelatedAfter Ansari clarifies 'no invite' on Yoga Day, #IstandWithHamidAnsari trends on TwitterYoga Day: Shripad Naik cites protocol for not inviting Ansari; Congress accuses BJP of divisive politicsNot invited to Yoga Day event, says V-P Hamid Ansari after Ram Madhav’ questions 'absence' According to PTI, Madhav told reporters in Jammu: “As far as the tweet is concerned, it was withdrawn and the matter is closed there and ends there.” He said, “I want the Yoga event to be remembered for millions and millions of people who have participated in it, I do not want any further controversy over it or any issue.” The Vice President’s Office told The Indian Express, “We have taken note of the comments made by Naik on record in the media…What he has stated appears logical and, therefore, for us, that’s the end of the matter.” The controversy had erupted after Madhav had tweeted: “Two questions. Did RS TV (that) runs on tax payers money completely black out Yoga Day event? While President participated (did) VP gave a miss.” The reference to Rajya Sabha TV, run by Parliament’s Upper House, was also loaded given the fact that Ansari, being the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, is the controlling authority for the channel. Madhav’s tweets set off a storm on social media with his supporters slamming Ansari, many of them linking his “absence” to his Muslim faith. The Vice President’s office made it known that he had not been invited to the event. Madhav tweeted again, this time to say: “I am informed (that the) VP was unwell. I withdrew my tweet. My apologies because d institution of VP deserves respect (sic)”. As the issue trended, he deleted both tweets. He was contradicted again by the Vice-President’s office which maintained that he was not unwell. Madhav, a key player in the current BJP establishment — he has been deputed by the RSS to the party — is deeply involved in the political management of the BJP-PDP alliance in Jammu and …continued »
Incidentally, immediately after the Republic Day parade this year, Ansari was under attack on social media that showed him not saluting the Indian flag while President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were doing so. Once again, his office had to respond saying that according to protocol, only those who are in uniform salute the national flag while the anthem is played. The office had to cite the Flag Code of India (Section VI) to counter criticism, some of which, like this time, questioned his faith, too: “During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag or when the flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the flag and stand at attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute. A dignitary may take the salute without a head dress”.
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